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Original poster

DD1 came home and said she'd heard 'the most beautiful song ever' and it was...

356 replies

nearlythree · 09/03/2007 20:27

Puff the Magic Dragon!!!!

Don't think she understood it properly.

I did try and explain that mummy cries when she hears this song.

A more accurate description would be that mummy sobs uncontrollably and has to be helped to bed.

WHOEVER THOUGHT THIS WAS A SUITABLE SONG FOR CHILDREN???? (or anyone?)

OP posts:
HumphreysCorner · 09/03/2007 20:32

Me and my bro used to listen to this all the time as children. But now I understand the lyrics I can't bear to listen to it as it is terribly sad. Thank goodness children only listen to the music and singing without knowing what the words mean.

TooTicky · 09/03/2007 20:33

Er, what does it mean?

Scootergirl · 09/03/2007 20:34

Isn't it about drugs?

Original poster
nearlythree · 09/03/2007 20:34

I was about six when I first heard it and understood what it meant straight away. My dad had bought me an album of childrens' songs and was so upset I never played it, but this was the first song on there!

Am glad dd1 doesn't understand it, although I did explain a bit - she wants to go to the beach to rescue Puff!

OP posts:
MegaLegs · 09/03/2007 20:35

The boy grows up but the gragon doesn't and gets left alone.

Original poster
nearlythree · 09/03/2007 20:37

The last verse is about how the little boy doesn't believe in Puff so he doesn't go to play with him any more - but Puff is real and is left all alone on by the sea. It's about the loss of childhood and the magic of being able to believe anything, before the cynicism of being 'grown-up' sets in (shit, I'm off..)

OP posts:
SparklyGothKat · 09/03/2007 20:38

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee,
Little jackie paper loved that rascal puff,
And brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff. oh

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee.

Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail
Jackie kept a lookout perched on puffs gigantic tail,
Noble kings and princes would bow wheneer they came,
Pirate ships would lower their flag when puff roared out his name. oh!

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee.

A dragon lives forever but not so little boys
Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys.
One grey night it happened, jackie paper came no more
And puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.

His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain,
Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane.
Without his life-long friend, puff could not be brave,
So puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave. oh!

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called honah lee.

stressteddy · 09/03/2007 20:39

Oh my god I never knew this. I really did just well up nearlythree

TrinityRhino · 09/03/2007 20:39

I LOVED this song as a child and obviously only knew the first verse cause I never knew it was so sad
I used to have an imaginary dragon called 'dragon'

Wallace · 09/03/2007 20:40

I thought it had a happy ending with the boy's son (grandson?) coming to play?

makes me cry too...

stressteddy · 09/03/2007 20:40

Bloodyhell sparklygothcat - what did you do that for?

Original poster
nearlythree · 09/03/2007 20:40

Okay, so who isn't blubbing????

OP posts:
hatrick · 09/03/2007 20:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Spidermama · 09/03/2007 20:41

Oh dear. I'm crying quite a lot now.

TooTicky · 09/03/2007 20:41

Miserable. Mind you, I was always affected by the last bit of Winnie the Pooh - used to get v. cross with Christopher Robin.

Original poster
nearlythree · 09/03/2007 20:41

(thanks, sparkly, btw - sob!!)

OP posts:
SparklyGothKat · 09/03/2007 20:42

sorry, some people didn't know what the song was about.

misdee · 09/03/2007 20:44

oh i havent heard this for years. wish i could find an audio link somewhere.

Spidermama · 09/03/2007 20:44

I used to also howl at 'We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun'.

Oh woe ...

moondog · 09/03/2007 20:47

Thatsong has haunted me since I was 6 and at 39 still does.
When we cleared out MIL's attic after she died last year,we found a wonderful homemade Puff (complete with tiny bag of handsewn spells on felt 'parchment') that dh rememberd an aunt making for him.

I want to weep every time I see it.

PandaG · 09/03/2007 20:47

I always welled up with 'Puff', but I had tears rolling down my cheeks a couple of weeks ago when 'Two Little Boys'as on the radio. DH thought I was barking!

moondog · 09/03/2007 20:48

'Two lillte boys' is a killer too.
Hey how about 'Scarlet Ribbons' just to finish you all off?

Sparkly,I always thought the land was called 'Harmony'...

fireflyfairy2 · 09/03/2007 20:48

Oh spidermama me too...

& coal miners daughter deep shame..

That puff song made me blub, damn I am so hormonal!

Original poster
nearlythree · 09/03/2007 20:48

Oh, Moondog!

Two Little Boys get me too, but not as badly as Puff.

OP posts:
SparklyGothKat · 09/03/2007 20:49

I just copied and pasted it.